Receptacles which are adapted to be mounted on an underlying substrate are known in the art. The Universal Serial Bus (USB) receptacle, for example, is used in computer and computer peripheral devices such as printers, external drives, and other external input and output devices. In particular, such USB receptacle has been proposed for universal use in coupling many such computer and computer peripheral devices.
Typically, a USB receptacle includes an outer conductive shield member that defines a cavity having a mouth, an insulative interior member inside the cavity, and a plurality of contacts inside the cavity which generally extend from the mouth of such USB receptacle to engage an underlying substrate. The USB conductive shield, as is known, shields the interior of the USB receptacle from electromagnetic interference generated exteriorly, and also shields the exterior of such USB receptacle from electromagnetic interference generated interiorly. The USB shield typically includes a grounding leg that contacts the underlying substrate such that the shield is grounded to the substrate when the USB receptacle is mounted thereto.
Of course, a USB receptacle is constructed, formed, shaped, and otherwise designed to receive a complementary USB connector or plug which is coupled to a USB cable having a plurality of conductive wires. The reception of the USB connector in the USB receptacle thus conductively couples the wires in the USB cable to respective contacts in the USB receptacle. Typically, the USB receptacle includes one or more locking arms that extend generally toward the mouth of the receptacle. As is known, such locking arms cooperate with complementary locking devices on an outer portion of the USB connector to ensure that the USB connector is securely releasably locked in the USB receptacle upon proper reception thereinto, and also to conductively couple the outer portion of the USB connector to the USB receptacle shield and by extension to ground such outer portion to the substrate.
In particular, the USB connector outer portion has opposing broader lateral sides and opposing narrower lateral sides, and the locking devices on the USB connector comprise a pair of catches on each broader lateral side. Correspondingly, the locking arms of the receptacle are opposingly positioned within the USB receptacle cavity and include protrusions that are caught by the USB receptacle catches. Preferably, the locking arms opposingly contact both broader lateral sides of the USB connector outer portion to ensure a good lock on the USB connector and a good electrical connection with the outer portion thereof.
Typically, the USB receptacle is a single deck receptacle (i.e. a receptacle having a single USB cavity for receiving a single USB connector), the conductive shield thereof has upper and lower sides corresponding to the broad lateral sides of a received USB connector, and the upper and lower sides of such USB conductive shield are constructed to include the aforementioned locking arms as integrally formed members thereof. However, in the case of a multi-deck USB receptacle (i.e., a receptacle having two or more USB cavities stacked one on top of the other for simultaneously receiving two or more USB connectors), the USB conductive shield cannot provide integrally formed locking arms in locations internal thereto and not immediately adjacent such shield. Accordingly, a need exists for a conductive cavity insertion piece inserted within a multi-deck USB receptacle and having one or more appropriately positioned internal locking arms, where such internal locking arms are supplied for each cavity of the USB receptacle so that each received USB connector is opposingly releasably locked by locking arms on opposing sides thereof. A need also exists to ensure that such insertion piece is securely conductively coupled to the USB conductive shield.